Senate clears path for final vote on Betsy DeVos

Senate lawmakers voted to advance the nomination of school-choice advocate and billionaire Betsy DeVos for secretary of education early Friday morning, setting up a final confirmation vote for President Donald Trump's embattled Cabinet pick early next week.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., scheduled a rare 6:30 a.m. vote aimed at speeding up the process as Democrats made last-ditch efforts to scuttle the nomination. DeVos cleared the procedural hurdle by a 52-48 margin.

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Betsy DeVos through the years

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Betsy DeVos through the years

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Mary Schwalm

Continuing a day of one-on-one meetings with candidates for positions in his cabinet, President-elect Donald Trump met with Betsy DeVos, two polar opposites thought to be in contention for the education portfolio.

(Photo by Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. first lady Melania Trump and Jordan?s Queen Rania speak with students and administrators at the Excel Academy public charter school in Washington, U.S., April 5, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks before U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum "Increasing Access to High-Quality Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education" in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., September 25, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (L), who was dressed as Ms. Frizzle from 'The Magic Schoolbus' series, and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway attend Halloween at the White House on the South Lawn October 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump gave cookies away to costumed trick-or-treaters one day before the Halloween holiday. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence stand with Betsy DeVos before their meeting at the main clubhouse at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., November 19, 2016.

(REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Continuing a day of one-on-one meetings with candidates for positions in his cabinet, President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence met with Betsy DeVos, two polar opposites thought to be in contention for the education portfolio.

(Photo by Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump (C, background) waits to interrupt Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as she speaks to students at a school choice event at the White House in Washington, U.S. May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Grant Hill #33 of the Los Angeles Clippers shakes hands with Owner Dick DeVos, Chairman of Amway and his wife Betsy DeVos during the game against the Orlando Magic during the game on February 6, 2013 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)

US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush wave after they were introduced by the Chair of the Michigan Republican Party Betsy DeVos 30 October 2004 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bush is on his final three days of campaigning prior for the election November 02.

(STEPHEN JAFFE/AFP/Getty Images)

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos makes remarks during a major policy address on Title IX enforcement, which in college covers sexual harassment, rape and assault, at George Mason University, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., September 7, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Theiler

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and U.S. first lady Melania Trump are greeted by a student during a visit the Excel Academy public charter school in Washington, U.S., April 5, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos (C) and Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tom Price (R) attend a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 13, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (from L), advisor Jared Kushner and U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, thanks fourth-grade students Janayah Chatelier (3rd R) and Landon Fritz (R) for the "Happy Birthday Florida" card they gave him as he visits their classroom at Saint Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Florida, U.S. March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during a meeting with teachers and parents at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 14, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (2nd R) and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) (R) arrive with President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida, U.S. March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

CAMBRIDGE, MA - SEPTEMBER 28: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks in a forum at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government on Thursday, September 28, 2017. (Photo by Katye Martens Brier for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence emerge with Betsy DeVos after their meeting at the main clubhouse at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., November 19, 2016.

(REUTERS/Mike Segar)

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Still, Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced their opposition to Devos earlier this week, imperiling her chances of being confirmed as Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate. If Democrats vote en masse against her, as it's expected they will, and are joined by Collins and Murkowski, Vice President Mike Pence would have to cast a tiebreaking vote for DeVos' to be confirmed, assuming no other Republicans defect.

As of now, that assumption is safe. Both McConnell and White House press secretary Sean Spicer have said they're confident DeVos will be confirmed. And a slate of potential GOP defectors – including Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Dean Heller of Nevada – signaled this week they intend to support her nomination.

That didn't stop Senate Democrats from continuing to blast DeVos early Friday morning.

"The more people learn about Betsy DeVos, the more they realize how wrong she is for our students and schools," said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate education committee. "And the more that comes out about her failed record, her tangled finances and conflicts of interest, and her lack of understanding or experience – the more the pressure increases on Republicans to put their allegiance to President Trump aside, and stand with their constituents."

Democrats have slammed DeVos for her lack of experience in public education, highlighting the fact that she did not attend public schools, has never worked in a public school or as a public servant, and that her children did not attend public schools. They've also called into question her political donations to Republicans and millions of dollars in investments in education companies and other ventures, which they charge could present conflicts of interest should she be tasked with leading the Department of Education.

Republicans who support DeVos see her nomination as a chance to expand charter schools and bolster school voucher programs, which allow students to use federal funds to attend private schools.

"[DeVos] has spent her time working on giving children choices of schools other than public schools," Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican and chairman of the education committee, said Friday. Alexander himself served as education secretary under President George H.W. Bush. "It's always puzzled me as to why anybody would criticize that."

With her nomination all but locked up, grass-roots organizers who oppose DeVos plan to make a last-ditch effort over the weekend to flood congressional offices with phone calls from constituents who oppose DeVos.

Great Alaska Schools, for example, organized a daylong telethon Friday to jam the Juneau, Alaska, office of Sen. Dan Sullivan. They expect more than 1,000 calls will be made.